Lovers in Crime
by Fishtank Productions
Summary: Well, Mike finally did it. He and all of his alternate personalities pushed the button. All except Mal, who's trapped in a strange section of his-Mike's!-mind, forced to watch his memories from ages 8-16. His past wasn't a pretty one, and he's not crazy about exploring his sea of broken dreams any more than necessary. However, he forgets that they also contain a very SPECIAL girl.


Nothing. Everything. It's the most heavenly dream, yet the most grotesque nightmare. The white and black labyrinth surrounds and pushes full force on me, like Mike stepping on my chest. I feel exposed, yet secluded; cold, yet burning; scared, yet comforted; and I hate it. After a few hours of contemplating what I feel, I realize that I'm on the ground- whatever the ground is- and I can't seem to move, no matter what I do. I know that I'm going to fail, yet I keep trying. Why is that, anyway?

I make a sad attempt to walk around-in order to find, what I assume to be, an exit-but can't even rest on my elbows, let alone walk or even stand up. I try several more times, and I keep collapsing in a heap. Eventually, I give up, and I realize that I'm breathing hard, and my entire body is filled with a painful, stinging sensation that seems to puncture my skin like 50 tattoo machines prickling me all at once. All heat has completely escaped my body, and I'm so indescribably cold that I swear I'm going to die at any second. I feel like I'm breathing water, but I'm not choking.

Completely numb, I struggle to stand once again. This time, I succeed. I'm alone, but I could care less. I start making my way to what can only be described as a path, yet it's not. Still sore from my invisible trap, I trudge on, pain coursing through every part of me imaginable. As I continue, I now know that I've made a huge mistake, but there is absolutely nowhere else to go. I approach a strange cloud that I realize is a memory cloud. MY memory cloud. NO! No memories. I want to have a new beginning, a fresh start, a different era of life.

A reset button, if you will.

I created the reset button that really would only put me in hiding, but it MALfunctioned (I probably would laugh at the lame pun if I weren't in such a wounded state) and brought me here instead.

I know that I can't escape life, but I can't look back at my past. I slowly step backwards, one numb foot after the other-but I trip due to my body shutting down again. I end up falling flat on my back, which is another big mistake. I yell, scream, even try throwing punches at the cloud, but nothing works. The pain is excruciating. "NO! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?! MY LIFE SUCKED, OKAY?! WHY?! WHY DOES THIS CRAP HAPPEN TO ME?! WHY AM I FILLED WITH ANGER, SADNESS, DEPRESSION, HURT, SUFFERING, MISERY, AND HATRED?! NOTHING I DO IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ANYONE," I shriek at the cloud and gasp between violent words, signifying the near end of my sanity, "IT KILLS ME TO REMEMBER SUCH HORRIBLE, GRUESOME EVENTS! MY LIFE HAUNTS ME ALREADY, AND YOU WANT ME TO PRACTICALLY RELIVE IT?!"

I'm crying now, tears burning my frozen face as I experience an overwhelming wave of anxiety, a sickening, warm screech erupting from my frigid throat. The cloud moves in, and a small voice emits from it. It says, "Deep down, you're also filled with patience, happiness, compassion, joy, luck, hope, and most importantly...LOVE."

"NO, I'M NOT! I HATE EVERYTHING! I ESPECIALLY HATE MIKE, AND YOU MOST OF ALL!"

The cloud sighs, as if I'm not crazy enough. "If only you knew who I was, Malcolm."

I'm pretty sure my mouth is now hanging open. No one knows my real name, not even my-Mike's- alters. So how...?

The cloud is closing in on me. I'm overflowing with inner panic, as I'm secretly claustrophobic.

"D-don't come any closer! I'm w-warning you!" I threaten, obvious fear rising in my voice. I can't look at my past. I just can't. The cloud doesn't listen. I let out one final screech as its mist surrounds me, basically swallowing me whole. Then, my field of vision becomes darker than my soul has ever been, and I'm thrown into the worst mind-set I believe possible: An extremely long flashback.

...


End file.
